Dacia Duster
| length = | width = | height = | weight = | aka = Renault Duster | fuel_economy = | fuel_capacity = | related = Dacia Logan Dacia Sandero Nissan Juke | designer = Renault Design Central Europe }} The Dacia Duster is the first crossover SUV developed by the Romanian automaker Automobile Dacia. Officially revealed on 8 December 2009, it became available in Europe from 18 March 2010. Design Based on the Nissan B0 platform, the Duster measures in length, in width and has of ground clearance. Its luggage space has a volume of up to , while with the rear benchseat folded and tipped forward, its carrying ability can exceed . The Duster is offered with two-wheel or four-wheel drive. The 4x4 variants make use of Nissan's all-wheel drive systemNew Dacia Duster which allows the driver to choose from three different driving modes: Auto, in which the front/rear torque split is calculated automatically as a function of available grip, Lock, whereby 50 per cent of torque is consistently fed through the rear axle, and 4x2 where the transmission is locked into two-wheel drive for maximum fuel efficiency. Safety Dacia Duster features Bosch 8.1 ABS, as well as EBD electronic brakeforce distribution and EBA emergency brake assist. It also features ESC electronic stability control as an option on certain versions, as well as CSV understeer control and ASR traction control. This option also allows torque to be transferred away from a spinning wheel in 4x4 mode to improve traction when diagonal wheel spin occurs. On the passive safety front, Dacia Duster comes as standard with two front airbags (depending on market) and three-point seat belts with load limiters for the front seats. Depending on version, two lateral head/thorax airbags are fitted in addition to the driver and passenger front airbags to provide additional protection in the case of side impact. Pyrotechnic pretensioners for the front seats (depending on version) complete Dacia Duster's retention system.Dacia Duster at netcarshow.com Engines Marketing and production Dacia Duster is offered in Europe, Turkey, Algeria, Morocco and Macedonia from March 2010, with prices starting from €11,900 (or €10,500 in Romanian domestic market) for the two-wheel drive version, and from €13,900 (or €12,300 in Romanian domestic market) for the 4x4 version.2010 Geneva Auto Show: Dacia Duster at autoevolution.com From June 2010, the Duster is also available in Ukraine, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Lebanon and in some African countries badged as a Renault, while in 2011, it will be sold in the Persian Gulf States.Dacia Duster first official photos at carmagazine.co.uk In 2011, Renault will begin production of the Renault Duster at its Curitiba plant in Brazil for distribution in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Chile, while at a later date, the Duster will go on to be manufactured at the Avtoframos plant in Moscow, Russia. It has also been confirmed that the Duster will be launched in the UK in 2012, relaunching the Dacia brand there. There is talk about the Dacia Duster being launched in emerging markets like India as well, but under the Renault badge. Road conditions in India call out the common man's need for an affordably priced, lower cost yet modern, functional, utility oriented, comfortable, reliable, safe all terrain vehicle with decent people/ luggage carrying capacity and all the modern safety kit and 4WD/all terrain ability. The Indian market is crowded with expensively priced SUV type vehicles which are more "form" than "function". The only competition that the Duster could face in India would be the Mahindra Scorpio and the Tata Safari, both of which are not as modern in design, but sell largely on account of their price vs benefit equation. Even these are over-priced as 4WD and modern safety kit are offered only in their top spec variants. Racing A competition version of the Duster fitted with a V6 engine and driven by Alain Prost took part in the 2009/2010 French ice racing championship Trophée Andros, finishing in second place. In 2010, the Duster participated in the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles, being first in the crossover class. The two Dacia teams successfully finished the Rallye on board the Duster: Dounia and Isabelle (Team 315 - Dacia) were first in the general ranking, while Nathalie and Dorothée (Team 316 - Dacia) finished in 5th place (out of 8 teams competing in the class). Concept car Renault Design Central Europe presented, at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, a concept car named Dacia Duster This concept vehicle (a SUV/sports coupe crossover ) addressed the needs of families, with a roomy cabin in a compact package and a large trunk. The car had a very efficient motor capable of emitting 139 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer and a fuel consumption of per . The Dacia Duster was the first concept car entirely made by Dacia. The Duster normally has four seats but can be converted into a two seat car, the passenger seat slides under the driver's seat and the right back seat slides under the left back seat freeing an extra room of ideal for a bicycle. The Duster concept car had a Dacia Logan 1.5 litre inline-4 engine equipped with Bosch Mono-Jetronic fuel injection producing at 5400 rpm and at 2000 rpm of torque. It was a front engined, two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive vehicle based on the Nissan B platform. It accelerated from 0 to in 9.6 seconds. If the model had been produced, its initial price would have been around 15,000 euro (US$ 18,750). Former use of the name Dacia Duster was also the name used to sell the ARO 10 on some markets, such as the United Kingdom, during the 1980s and early 1990s. References External links *Official Dacia website *Forum Duster Romania *Forum Duster in Spain *Official website of Dacia in Spain *Web Site About Duster in Russia *Duster owner's club in Ukraine *Web Site About Duster in Ukraine *Web Site About Duster in Turkiye ---- Duster Category:Cars of Romania Category:Crossover SUVs Category:Compact SUVs Category:Front wheel drive vehicles Category:All wheel drive vehicles Category:2010s automobiles Category:Vehicles introduced in 2010 Category:Trucks built in Romania Category:Trucks built in Brazil Category:Trucks built in Russia